ANZECC Categories(The Australian and New Zealand
Environment and Conservation Council List of Threatened Australian Vertebrate Fauna)

Endangered: Endangered species in serious risk of disappearing from the wild state within one or two years if present land use and other causal factors continue to operate.

Vulnerable: Vulnerable species not presently endangered but at risk over a longer period through continued depletion depletion, or which largely occur on sites likely to experience changes in land use which would threatened the survival of the species in the wild.

Rare Rare species which are rare in Australia but which are not currently considered endangered or vulnerable. Such species may be represented by a relatively large population in very restricted areas or by smaller populations spread over a wider range.

Victorian Categories - Vertebrate Fauna

Critically Endangered: A taxon is Critically Endangered when it is facing an extremely high risk of extinction in the wild in the immediate future.

Endangered: A taxon is Endangered when it is not Critically Endangered but is facing a high risk of extinction in the wild in the immediate future.

Vulnerable: A taxon is Vulnerable when it is not Critically Endangered or Endangered but is facing a high risk of extinction in the wild in the medium-term future.

Low risk- near threatened: A taxon is Low Risk- near threatened when it has been evaluated, does not satisfy the criteria for any of the threatened categories, but which is close to qualifying for Vulnerable. In practice, these species are most likely to museume into a threatened category declines continue or catastrophes befall the species.

Data Deficient: A taxon is Data Deficient when there is inadequate information to make a direct or indirect assessment of its risk of extinction based on its distribution or population status. Listing of taxa in this category indicates that more information is required and acknowledges the possibility that future investigation will show that a threatened classification is appropriate.